Éric Chacour’s novel Ce que je sais de toi was chosen on Tuesday by a jury of students among the 10 books that were in the running for the Femina prize for high school students.
The author, who lives in Montreal, found himself this fall in the selections for both the prestigious Femina and Renaudot literary prizes, but his novel was ultimately not selected among the finalists.
What I Know About You is the first novel by Éric Chacour, born in Montreal to Egyptian parents. It tells the story of Tarek, a doctor in Cairo in the 1980s who was forced into exile. It was published in Quebec in January, by Alto, and in August by the publisher Philippe Rey, in France, where it won the Première Plume prize which aims to highlight emerging authors. He also won the Discovery Grant from the Prince Pierre of Monaco Foundation.
Other prestigious prizes awarded by groups of students include the Goncourt des lycéens (which awarded its prize last week to Neige Sinno, for Triste tigre) as well as the Renaudot des lycéens (which rewarded Lilia Hassaine for her novel Panorama).
